Automatic steering means



" CRGSS'REERENCE i Exmm Dem 14, 1937. B. CHANCE AUTOMATIC STEERING MEANS Filed 'lay 4. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7/ 3 l. m m m lo B. CHANCE `AUTOMATIC STEERING MEANS 3 Smeets-sheetA 2 Filed llay 4, 1955 .a -f a mii Z'D U ,Q U U 'UHUW BLAH-Llulll-Anlllnu.

Dee.4 14, 1937. Q CHANCE l 2,102,512

AUTOMATIC' STEERING' MEANS Filed May 4, 1935 5 -Sheets-Shea?. 3

Patented Dec. L4, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT 'oFEicE lm'1 o`1n s'1xc s'rnnnnw anims mitm emacs, N. J. application May 4,- 19st", -sei-m- No. 19,822 s claims. (ci. 11g-zaai' One object of the present invention is to provide for automatically controlling the steering gear of dirigible bodies or vessels by means of a ray or beam of light or radiant energy fixed in space and of only two electronic devices or light cells. Another object of the present invention is to provide simple and reliable means for automatically steering dirigible bodies.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description at the end of which the invention will be claimed.

Generally stated, the invention consists in means providing a beam or ray of" light or radiant energy fixed in space; two electronic valve devices or light cells positioned on the vessel or body to be swept by the beam or ray on deviation of the vessel or body from its course; means set in operation by said devices or cells and operative .to diminish the deviation of the body or.

vessel from its course; and followback means to shift the incidence of the said beam or ray with respect lto said devices or cells; with or without hold-over devices effective when the g5 beam or ray sweeps past or outside of the cells or valve devices.

'I'he invention also consists in the improvements to be presently described and ilnally claimed.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic and schematic plan view of apparatus illustrating features of the in-v vention and showing two electronic lcells or valves.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the same including parts omitted from Figure l.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a vplan and 4g sectional elevation illustrating a modification.

Figure 5 is adiagrammatic lay-out of circuits and connections for use with the arrangement shown or indicated in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view of a lay-out embodying another modification involving hold-over devices. Y

Figure '7 is a similar lay-out view illusi'lratinsr another modication devoid of hold-over devices,

and :.0 A Figure 8 is a similar lay-out view illustrating another modification.

Referring to Figures .1 and 2, it may be remarked that they are highly diagrammatic and that .the device is intended to be mounted on 55 gimbals and that while s magnetic or a gyroscopic compass may beused, the compass card I will be assumed to be a part of a gyroscopic oompass. The light and lens 2 lprovide a beam or ray of light or radiant energy and this is reilected from the reflector 3 mountedon the com- 5 pass card I to the pivotal mirror or reiiector' 4,

`and. from it to the electronic cells or valvedevices 5 and t, as willbe more fully described.` The frame 'I is turnably mounted about the axis of the compass card I in order to ilx the course of 10 the vessel or body. From the rudder 8 there is a follow-back mechanism consisting as shown of the connections 9 and III to the yoke II which.. through the gearing I2 and cam I3 and follower I4, turns the reflector 4 and provision is made l5 for a dwell in the movement 'oi the mirror or reilector 4 of which the loss motion device Il is an example. Whenl the dirigible, vessel, or body is on its course the ray or b eam falls at the inner ends of the cells 5 and 6 and the rudder is held 20 by the electric brake mechanism I6 (see Figs. 5

to 8). as will be described later. On deviation of the vessel or body from its course the re- `fiected beam or ray of light or radiant energy""--\i sweeps across the valves or cells and there are 25 means set in operation by the cells or devices and they operate to diminish the deviation of the body or vessel from its course.

The construction and mode of operation of the modlcation illustrated in Figures 3, i and 5 are 3f, as above described except as follows: The beam oi' light from the system 40 falls upon areiiecting cone 4l mounted QQJhQQPEQSpIdZ/h rhpass card is provided withscreen 43 arcuate and extending beyond the diameter of the 35 compass card. When the vessel is on its course the screen 43, cuts ofi the light or radiant energy from the light cells or electronic valves 44 and 45. The electronic valves 44 and 45 are adjustably mounted on a rotatable ring 46, having gear teeth 40 with which a worm 41 meshes. The shaft 48 of the worm 41 is, through miter gears, connected with the yoke SII, which in turn is connected with the lines 9 and I0 that operate the rudder. The parts last described constitute follow-back 46 mechanism in which provision is made for loss motion. One way to do this is to connect the yoke 5 0 and the miter gear which it turns together in such a way that one is aorded a slight turning movementin respect to the other. As 50 shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the parts are in what may be called neutral position with the vessel on its course. 'Ihe motor I1 is deenergized and the spring biased brake I8 is applied to drum Il which is adapted to be driven by motor I'I to otal tongue III occupies the position shown, butl actuate the rudder when the craft deviates from its course. Should the vessel deviate from its course one of the elements M or 45, for example, the element M, will be turned counter-clockwise beyond the adjacent end of the screen 43 and thus energized. The eiect of this is to energize Vthe electro-magnet (Figure 5) which closes the contact 20 and thus energizes the motor Il and the release magnet of brake I6 and sets the motor in operation. A hold-over device is unnecessary because the cell 4I, although it travels a large part of its circular path, cannot go beyond the beam or ray of light which is substantially fan shaped.

The construction and mode of operation of the modification shown in Figure are as above described except as followsz-The tongue 60 is pivoted at 6l and it is provided with contacts 62 and 62* and with armatures 63 and 63L and with latch elements 64 and 64I. When the beam or ray from the reflector 4 falls upon both the cells or valves I and 6 at their junction the tongue CII is in middle position and in this equilibrium position solenoids 65 and 65Il are both energized and contacts 86 and 66* are closed energizing solenoids 1h and 10e and holding latch 6l and 64* out of engagement. When the beam or ray falls preponderatingly, for example, on the cell 6 the electro-magnet 65 is energized to a greater extent than electro-magnet 65 and the tongue is moved into the position shown. 'I'he tongue 80 closes the circuit 61 energizing the electro-magnet 68 which closes the motor switch 20 and sets the motor in operation to turn the rudder. In this position of the beam the solenoid 65a is deenergized and the latch element 64, under the action of its spring, en-Y gages and holds the tongue and everything controlled by it in the position described, even though the ray or beam passes beyond the cell or valve I. Through the action of the followback mechanism the ray is brought back onto the cell or electronic device 5 causing it to close the circuit il?, energizing the electro-magnet which releases the catch 69". In the event of deviation of the course in the other direction the operation is repeated but with the devices indicated by number without the lexponent a added. 6l and 66* operate with a smaller quantity oi' light upon the cells than that required by tongue 60. 62 closes il and 66 does not close I8.

'I'he construction and mode of operation of the modification shown in Figure 7 are as above described except as follows: The cells or electronic valve devices 85 and I6 are separated at their adjacent ends by an adjusted space and are so long that the beam or ray of light or radiant energy does not sweep out beyond their outer ends. consequently holdover devices are unnecessary. Each cell is provided with a circuit I1 including an electro-magnet 8| which, when energized, attracts the spring opened contact 09, which closes the relay circuit 00 in which there is an electro-magnet Il which controls the' motor contact arm and thus the motor isoperated in the manner already described.

The construction and mode of operation of the modiiication shown in Figure 8 are as above described except as follows: The reilected beam or ray from the mirror may shine upon both of the cells or valves I2 and Il, and it the electro-motive force in the circuits Il, II is balanced the pivit the electro-motiveiorce in one '91 the circuits, for example M, preponderates, the electromagnet in that circuit attracts the tongue and closes the relay circuit 85 by the contact on the tongue. The relay circuit l5 energizes the electro-magnet 96 which closes the motor contact 20. The latches $1 and Il* are provided to hold the motor relays 2U and 20* in closed positions in case the beam crosses completely over their respective actuating cells. Therefore, it is not necessary for these latches to function in latching until the beam is falling on one cell only.- When the beam falls on cell 82 only, then .the latch $1 latches the contact 2li in position shown. The latch I1 holds the contact 20 in Aclosed position until a portion of the light or energy falls on the cell I3 and causes it to close its contact 9| which closes the relay circuit 99 in which is included the electro-magnet |00 which withdraws the latch $1 and permits the contact 20 to open under the action of its spring. 98 and 98* are more sensitive than contact mechanism of tongue IUI and act with a small portion of the light upon the cells. When deviation from the course occurs in the other direction the described operation takes place in respect to the duplicate arrangement which is indicated by the same numbers with the exponent a. In the operation in the described device regard must be had to weather conditions; for example, in a rough sea more yaw is desirable than in a quiet sea, and the described apparatus may be adjusted for weather conditions by decreasing the sensitivity o! the electrical circuits and by increasing the space between the cells. Initial rudder movement may be obtained by the described lag in the action of the follow-back mechanism so that the rudder may move through a certain angle before thefollowback mechanism acts.

It will b e obvious to those skilled in the art, to which the invention relates, that modiilcations may be made in details of construction and arrangement and in matters oi' mere form without departing from the spirit of the invention which is not limited to such matters or otherwise than as the prior art and the appended claims may rel quire. I claim:

l. Apparatus for controllably actuating an element on a dirigible craft, such as a rudder, comprising means for providing a beam of radiant energy. means responsive to said beam movable relative to the beam in response to deviation of said craft from its course, means controllable by said beam-responsive means for actuating said element, means for maintaining said actuating means operative, follow-back means operable by said actuating means for relatively changing the position of said beam-responsive means and the vincidence oi' the beam thereon to restore the normal relation therebetween, and means immediately responsive to the first restoration of said normal relation for rend ring said maintaining means inedective.

2. Apparatus for controllably actua an eiement on a dirigible craft, such as a ruudlder. comprising means for providing a energy, beam movable relative to the beam in response to deviation 'oi said craft from its course to cause said beam to selectively activate laid devices, means controllable by an activated one of said devices for actuating said element, electromagnetic latching means for maintaining laid actuating means operative, follow-back means operable by said actuating means for relatively changing the position of said devices and incidence of the beam thereon to restore the normal relation between said devices and said beam, and means responsive to the restoration of said normal relation for rendering said latching means ineil'ective.

3. Apparatus for controllablyactuating an element on a dirigible craft, such as a rudder, comprising means for providing a beam of radiant energy, a plurality of devices responsive to said beam movable relative to the beam in response to deviation of said craft from its course to cause said beam to selectively activate said devices, m'eans controllable by an activated one of said devices for actuating said element, said actuating means including a motor and control circuits therefor, latching means for maintaining said circuits energized, follow-back means operable by said actuating means for relatively changing the position of said devices and the incidence of the beam thereon to restore the normal relation between said devices and said beam. and means immediately responsive to the rst restoration of said normal relation for rendering said latching means ineil'ecf tive.

4. Apparatus for 'controllably actuating an element on a dirigible craft, such as a rudder, comprising means for providing a beam oi' radiant en ergy, a pair of juxtaposed devices responsive to said beam, means for directing said beam onto said devices. a movable member, actuating devices on opposite sides of said member controllable respectively by said beam-responsive devices, means for causing said beam to sweep across said beamresponsive devices in response to deviation of said craft from its course, whereby one of said beam-responsive devices is selectively activated to selectively actuate the device controllable thereby, means for maintaining said member in actuated position, means controlled by said member for actuating said element. follow-back means operable by said actuating means for returning said beam to its normal position, and means responsive to the return of said beam for rendering said maintaining means ineffective.

5. -Apparatus for controllably actuating an element on a dirigible craft, such as a rudder, comprisinga compass, means for propagating radiant energy from the axis of said compass, a pair of devices responsive to the propagated radiant energy, means for causing the radiant energy to activate said devices selectively in response to deviation of the craft from its course, means controllable by said devices for actuating said element, means for maintaining said actuating means operative, follow-back means operable by said actuating means for restoring the normal relation between the radiant energy and said devices, and means immediately responsive to the mst restoration of said normal relation for rendering said maintaining means ineffective.

BRI'I'I'ON CHANCE. 

